Monday, May 22, 2017

Saturday May 21, 2017––A local auto dealer, Painter
Mitsubishi, arranged for a celebration and recognition of Armed Forces Day with
the presence of Snow Canyon High School Jazz band and the presentation of the
Armed Services Flags and the Pledge of Allegiance by two veterans’ groups at
their dealership on Hilton drive in St. George, Utah.Arriving around 11:00 am to the sounds of
40’s swing music provided by the Jazz Band, the Marine Corps League formed a
firing detail and the American Legion provided a color guard of all the service
flags. The band also played all the
service songs after the veterans’ groups arrived.As the flags were brought forward and dipped,
Old Glory remained tall and the audience was invited to participate in the
Pledge of Allegiance. Then as the pledge was concluded the Marines fired their
gun salute.According to Tamara Sherman,
at Painter, “they wanted to show their appreciation for the nations’ armed
forces and recognize their service.” They also arranged to have a lunch for all
the veterans who participated.All of
this was done in recognition of Armed Forces Day.

Armed Forces Day in the United States comes after Armed
Forces Week and honors all five military branches: Army, Navy, Marine Corps,
Air Force, and Coast Guard. Armed Forces Week begins the second Saturday of May
and ends on the third Sunday of May. Armed Forces Day is always the third
Saturday in May. Both Armed Forces Day and Armed Forces Week fall during
Military Appreciation Month.Prior to
the establishment of the Armed Forces Day, the Army, Navy, and Air Force all
had their own days. President Harry S. Truman led the effort to establish a
single holiday for citizens to come together and thank our military members for
their patriotic service in support of our country. On Aug. 31, 1949, Defense Secretary Louis
Johnson announced the creation of an Armed Forces Day to replace separate Army,
Navy and Air Force Days. The single-day celebration stemmed from the
unification of the armed forces under one agency — the Department of Defense.